Terry, Warriors rally past Tigers

Oxford Webb guard Mitron Terry took some of the spotlight from his more heralded teammate Friday night with penetrating moves that got him to the free throw line for 15 of his game-high 25 points in the Warriors’ 57-41 win over Chapel Hill in the third round of the state 3-A playoffs.
Isaiah Hicks, the Warriors’ 6-8 frontcourt player who is headed to North Carolina next season, still swatted away shots and dunked repeatedly on his way to scoring 17 points.
It was the fourth meeting of the two Carolina 6 Conference programs, with Webb earning a split in the game that mattered most.
“We were more hungry than they were,” Terry said.
Chapel Hill coach Tod Morgan took some solace in that Webb would continue to represent the conference in the postseason.
“Proud of our kids and our effort,” Morgan said. “Really proud of nine seniors who played so hard. In four years, they won 87 games and lost 20.”
Chapel Hill snatched the early momentum and tried to pull away before Terry made up his mind to get to the basket. After trips to the free throw line by Terry and teammate Devonte Williams, the Warriors were able to go into the locker room trailing by three points at halftime.
Webb coach Leo Brunelli said Chapel Hill had a good gameplan to try to limit Hicks, who had eight points in the first half.
But Hicks found some gaps and seams that he slipped through for dunks in the second half, swinging the momentum Webb’s way.
“Isaiah’s a special player,” Brunelli said. “He hadn’t had a dunk in our losses to Chapel Hill, not that it’s a stat that matters. But I’m a (heck) of a lot better coach when he’s dunking.”
Early in first period, Chapel Hill’s Anthony Vanhook hit the deck hard after swatting a Webb shot out of bands.
Vanhook is a big part of the Tigers’ gameplan, and he stayed on the ground for a while before walking off the court.
Treshawn Craig drew the assignment of guarding Hicks until Vanhook returned to the floor.
Two left-handed 3-pointers by Chapel Hill senior Ryan Hegedus in the first period had Brunelli pleading with the Warriors to put tighten their defense.
In the fourth period, Vanhook fouled out with 4:13 left in what would be his final high school game.
Hegedus led Chapel Hill with 11 points, while Brian Thornton added 10 points.
Hicks’ highlights included catching the ball off the rim for a dunk and reaching up to erase a Chapel Hill layup off the backboard.
Webb’s fans stormed Chapel Hill’s court after the final buzzer sounded.